Death is Only the Beginging
by SeppukuSamurai
Summary: Dreams that go unheaded may have an inportant warning after all.
1. A Not So Peaceful SLumber

A Not So Peaceful  
Slumber  
  
After a long day of searching for jewel shards, Kagome and Shippou were relieved when Inuyasha decided to stop and make camp.  
" Man my feet are killing me," Kagome moaned as she took off her shoes and inspected her swollen feet.  
" What are you whining about bitch, It wasn't that bad of a walk." Inuyasha snapped from his perch above her in the tree. "Besides you had that contraption carrying you the whole way." He pointed at her bike.  
'Yeah, I guess you're right. A 50-mile UPHILL bike ride with only two five-minute breaks really shouldn't make me tired. What the hell was I thinking?" Kagome replied sarcastically.  
" I'm glad you see it my way," He yawned as he made himself more comfortable on his branch. Kagome didn't feel like fighting any more any way, so she snuggled down in her sleeping bag with Shippou and let sleep over take her.  
  
"Oh, crap!"  
A demon had appeared so suddenly that Inuyasha barely had enough time to dodge the assault from its tail. The hanyou was about to attack the demon with Tetsuiga, when he realized that his hand no longer hand claws. His senses were also dulled and it was then that he noticed that there was no moon hanging in the sky.  
'Damn it!' he thought, ' the new moon wasn't supposed to be until tomorrow.' His train of thought was suddenly broken by a loud, terror filled scream. His heart almost stopped when he saw that Kagome had been cornered by the demon in front of a huge oak tree. The spikes that covered a majority of its body began to crackle with dark energy as its gleaming, blood red eyes centered on its victim.  
" Hand over the Shikon shards now and I'll reward you with a quick and painless death." Inuyasha didn't care if he was human or not, he had to help Kagome. He ran as fast as he could to get to her side, but the demon noticed and with one quick slash from his tail, sent the silver haired hanyou flying into a nearby tree. He tried to get back up but found for some unseen reason that he couldn't. He glanced around until his gazed landed on Sango and Miroku.  
'I thought we weren't suppose to meet them until tomorrow.' He was about to yell at them to get their asses in gear and help Kagome when he noticed that Miroku had a broken leg and Sango looked like she had a dislocated shoulder. ' Damn it. They wouldn't be able to make a scratch.'  
"Well girl what is your answer?" The monster's booming voice brought Inuyasha back to reality. Kagome strung an arrow in her bow and took careful aim as she replied," Go to hell!" Inuyasha could tell that she was trying as hard as possible to seem brave but he could see the fear in her eyes and hear the quiver in her voice. The demon smiled, and before another word was spoken, he launched several razor sharp spikes from his tail at Kagome. The gigantic daggers hit her in the stomach, going partially through, sending her backward and pinning her to the tree.  
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!"  
Inuyasha almost fell off the branch he had perched himself on the night before. He frantically scanned the area for Kagome until he found he in the same place she had been when he had fallen asleep. Seeing that she was unharmed, he sat back agenst the tree trunk and tried to steady his racing heartbeat.  
"It was just a...dream." he realized. " Then why did it feel so real?" The ach in his heart as seeing Kagome die was still there. If anything did actually happen to her he would never forgive himself and just the thought of losing her was unbearable.  
'I need to tell her soon.' * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
The next morning Inuyasha felt like he was being generous for letting his traveling companions sleep in a little but the felt that five minutes extra sleep wasn't much for him to brag about. They tried to get more time but he pulled the sleeping bag away from them and shouted. " Have you forgotten what we're 'spose to do today?!" The blank looks they both had on their faces caused him to growl in frustration. " We're going to meet back up with Sango and Miroku today. God what would you two with out me?" Kagome, not wanting to stir up another fight, just rolled her eyes as she packed up her sleeping bag. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
The trio didn't reach their destination until almost sundown. Shippou had fallen asleep in the basket on Kagome's bike so instead of disturbing him, she just rode around the perimeter until he woke up on his own. By this time Inuyasha was becoming very impatient.  
"Where the hell could those two be?! They were supposed to be here ages ago." A voice from behind him caused the hanyou to jump almost three feet into the air.  
"Well Inuyasha, we can only move so fast in the condition we're in." He whipped around and gasped when he saw Miroku limping up to them with Sango at his side with her right arm in a sling. Inuyasha was in such a state of shock that all he could do was stand there with his mouth hanging wide open.  
"What happened to you guys? Are you alright?" Shippou asked with a look of concern on his face. " We got a surprise attack from a pack of demons. We're lucky that we escaped with just these scratches." Inuyasha was still in shock and didn't even blink when Kagome a hand in front of his face.  
" Hey Earth to Inuyasha, come in Inuyasha. Are you in there?" The hanyou jerked a little as he came out of his dazed.  
"Feh." He could feel the heat on his cheeks as he turned and walked as fast as could away from the group, trying to hide his embarrassment. They all shrugged and quickly followed after him.  
A few hours later, the group was desperately trying to convince Inuyasha to let them stop and make camp.  
"Oh, come on Inuyasha." Kagome pleaded. "We've been walking all day, Sango and Miroku are hurt and besides it's almost sunset and tonight's the night of the new moon and we need to find a good hiding place for you."  
" Alright woman if it wil...whoa, whoa, whoa tonight's the night of the new moon?! I thought that wasn't for a couple of more days!"  
" Oh come on Inuyasha, You of all people should know this. My God man what would you do with out me?"  
Kagome smiled at the annoyed look that had appeared on the silver haired boys face.  
"Fine." He growled as he scanned the area. Everything about this place was so familiar. Especially the large oak tree. Then it hit him. ' Oh god, this is the place from my dream!'  
"Uh.... guys? Why don't we find someplace else to set up camp?" Now it was the other's turn to look annoyed. "We don't have time to find another place, Inuyasha. The sun will be setting in just a few minutes." Miroku's voice gave away the fact that it wasn't only his friend's safety that he was worried about. He sounded like he was beyond the point of exhaustion. Inuyasha cured under his breath because he knew the monk spoke the truth. He felt the change beginning to take effect the second the sun had disappeared below the horizon. His brilliant silver hair changed to a dark gray the finally to it's final ebony black. His claws slid back into his fingers as his hand became human and he could feel his fangs doing the same thing along with his ears. The last change he couldn't see but he knew it was happening. His eyes changed from their normal shining gold to and intense lavender. He hated this time above all others because with out his hyper senses and super strength, he felt like a helpless puppy (no pun intended)  
" Well everyone let's settle in for the night then."  
Kagome dug into her pack and pulled out sever packages of instant Ramen, which she passed around to everyone. They ate in almost complete silence, which was unusual because Inuyasha normally made a great deal of racket as he inhaled his food. Kagome was about to ask him what was wrong when he suddenly climbed the giant oak tree with out so much as a good night. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
Kagome awoke suddenly from within her sleeping bag. Several jewel shards were headed in their direction and it was getting very close.  
"Inuyasha?"  
"Shhhhhhh." He replied softly." Stay here." Kagome panicked, "No! You can't let anything see you in your human form!"  
"Well I can't anything happen to you either. I'd rather them see me like this then have something happen to you." Oh crap! Did I really just say that? A deep voice from the shadows caused the couple to jump in surprise.  
"Ahhhh, Isn't that cute. To bad it's already too late. I can see that the weak half demon has turned into an even weaker human."  
The demon's huge form emerged from the shadows, causing a sharp gasp to escape Inuyasha's mouth. It was the same monster from his dream. Everything from the deadly spikes to the gleaming blood-red eyes made Inuyasha's blood run cold.  
A deep growl rose from deep within his throat.  
" Oh, crap!"  
  
Hey hope you like it. I'll try to get the next chappie up here soon but I can only type so fast. Reviews are appreciated even flames cause in a weird twisted sorta way they help me write better. O and cause I don't want any 1 suing me, I don't Inuyasha or any of the character except the one I make up. Now with that outa the way we can all live a happier life THE END. Yeah! 


	2. Regrets and Good Byes

Regrets and Good-Byes  
  
"Take this you bastard!" Inuyasha made an attempt to attack the demon but in his human form and with the untransformed Tetsuiga, he could cause little damage. It laughed at Inuyasha's feeble attempt and with one clean punch, flung the hanyou backward into a tree. Inuyasha grimaced a little as he stood up and wiped the blood away from the corner of his mouth.  
"Heh, not bad."  
"INUYASHA?!?" Kagome's voice was laced with concern.  
"Stay back Kagome, I'll handle this." Inuyasha really wasn't one of those people who listened to their dreams but with the thought of something happening Kagome, he wasn't about to take chances.  
" Inuyasha, listen to me! He has a shard in his forehead and one in each shoulder!"  
'Oh great,' he thought, 'looks like I'm going to have to drag her into this after all. DAMN IT!'  
"Kagome get ready with an arrow!"  
She nodded and did as she was told, taking careful aim. "Well, here goes nothing." Kagome let the arrow fly. It looked like it was going to hit its mark when the demon dodged it at the last second, making it embed itself deep within a tree trunk. The demon turned its crimson eyes on the young girl and took off in her direction, knocking Inuyasha out of the way as he went. As he pulled himself to his feet, the hanyou watched in horror as Kagome back into the tree, with all her escapes being cut off by the evil monster.  
"Hand over the Shikon shards now and I'll grant you with a quick and painless death." Inuyasha couldn't believe it as he flashed back to the dream. Kagome was in the same spot as when she was..  
"Well girl. What is your answer?" 'Oh, God no!' He knew what was coming next and he couldn't let it happen. He sprinted as fast as he could to get to her side and when he was about three fourths of the way there he saw her raise her bow and saw, " Go to hell!" What happened next seemed to be conducted in slow motion. Just as in the dream, the demon smiled slightly as it launched his deadly spikes.  
"NNOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Kagome closed her eyes preparing herself for the horrible pain when she was suddenly pushed to the side. As she opened her eyes, a horrible sight met her. Inuyasha had shoved her out of the path of the daggers only to place himself in front of them. His eyes went wide with pain and shock as the large spikes embedded themselves in his abdomen and ripped the flesh on his arms and legs. He let out a sharp cry as the momentum of the hit cause him to crash into the giant tree behind him. As the demon laughed at the sight of his mangled body, Kagome took the opportunity and shot him with one of her arrows, which embedded itself deep into the monster's heart. It screamed in agony as the arrow's purifying powers took affect, causing the demon to disintegrate into nothing more then a pile of ashes. The spike that had pinned Inuyasha to the tree also disappeared causing him to fall to the ground with a painful thud. Kagome cried out as she ran to his fallen form. She gently flipped him over onto his back and let out a gasp of horror.  
'My God! So much blood!' Inuyasha tried to say something but all he could manage to do was cough up more blood.  
" Shhhhhh...Don't talk. Lay still. I'll go get Miroku."  
'God damn it! Why did you have to be so stubborn?"  
  
~~~~~FLASHBACK~~~~~~  
  
Inuyasha had just begun his battle with the demon.  
"Hold on I'll go get Sango and Miroku!" Kagome yelled as she turned to run to where they were still sleeping.  
"NO!" Inuyasha grunted as he tried to block a spike that had been launched at him. "They're hurt and it will just make things worse it they tried to help."  
"But..."  
"NO!!" ~~~~ENDFLASHBACK~~~~  
Tears threatened to fall down the young girls face as she rushed to the sleeping forms of her friends. She quickly knelt next to Miroku and began to violently shake him awake.  
"Wha..What's wrong Kagome?" he asked groggily, wiping the sleep from his eyes.  
"It's Inuyasha. He's.. He's... Oh god you have to help him!" Miroku nodded and hobbled as fast as he could after the hysterical young woman. He gasped when he finally reached his fallen comrades bloody, mangled form. In an n instant he knew that he wasn't going to make it. He had lost too much blood and daybreak was just too far away. With shaking hand he began tearing at his priests robs to form bandages.  
"Oh, Inuyasha." The silver haired young man looked up at Miroku with eyes that he had never seen him have before. They were the eyes of someone who had lost all hope and had accepted their fate. The monk couldn't stand to see some one like Inuyasha like this. It was heart wrenching. Inuyasha suddenly took hold of Miroku's wrist.  
" Mir..oh...ku..." He suddenly realized what he wanted, so he stood and solemnly turned to Kagome.  
"I've done all I can for him. It's up to his strength now." With that said he began to walk back to camp.  
' He better not let his god damn pride get in the way and do what I think he's going to do, for Kagome's sake.'  
The young woman watched the monk limp off. 'How could he just leave him like this?'  
  
" Ka..go...me."  
  
She turned to him and took a hold of his hand.  
"Shh. Everything is going to be all right. You'll be fine now." She said softly. "It's only a few hours until sunrise. Then you'll be able to heal your wounds and you'll be better in no time." The tears that Kagome had been fighting so hard to keep from falling were threatening to do exactly that. Inuyasha smiled at her.  
"Kagome, I just.. wanted to tell you..that I'm sorry," he gritted his teeth together as a spasm of horrendous pain shot through his body. " that I', ss sory for all the horrible things I have put you through." She looked like she wanted to say something but he held up a shaking hand to stop her. " I know I should have said something sooner but you know... how.... I am." Kagome laughed slightly but began to panic when she saw Inuyasha's eyes begin to close.  
" No please don't go! Wake up Inuyasha!"  
He slowly opened his eyes back up and looked at her.  
"Do me a favor and look in my pocket."  
She nodded slightly and reached into his pant's pocket and pulled out a beautiful jade ring. It's light green surface shimmered slightly in the semi-darkness.  
"It..was my.mothers." He panted slightly as he almost had to push the words out. "When s,she died, she told me to give it..to ..the woman..the girl that I .. intended to marry." Kagome gasped at this statement. 'Did he just say the girl he wants to marry?'  
He coughed again, sending forth more blood. The numbness that had started in his chest had steadily spread through out his entire body and his eyelids were becoming increasingly heavy. He wanted to sleep so badly but Kagome's beautiful face made him fight hard agenst it.  
" Tell.the others...that I'm sorry. Make sure that Shippou.that you tell him that I'm counting on him to take care of you now. He's like my little brother so I know he'll do a good job. Also...make sure that that stupid monk and the exterminator get together. They were meant for each other much like I...felt we were. I you Kagome, I always have and I always will." The tears she had fought for so long finally began to fall.  
"No don't talk like that. You can't leave me, not now because I.I love you too!" A soft smile crossed Inuyasha's face as he reached a trembling hand up to her face to wipe away the tears.  
"Oh Kagome, please don't cry.over...me." A single tear rolled down his face as his last breath escaped his lips and his hand fell from her cheek to the ground, never to move again.  
  
Sry if that was a little long/depressing but hey it'll get better I promise. Reviews will help me decide weather or not to keep going so send them like there's no tomorrow. 


	3. Denial

Denial  
  
A slight breeze rustled the branches overhead as Kagome slowly came to terms with what had just come to pass.  
  
'He's.gone.'  
  
"No!" She slammed her fists sharply against the ground. "He can't be gone.He just can't be!" But even through her tear-obscured vision, the young girl could still make out Inuyasha's lifeless form, mocking her from a distance, telling her that her denial would not change what had happened. Her silent tears soon escalated into sobbing cries of agony that echoed throughout the entire forest, piercing the hearts of her companions as they cautiously approached the distressed young woman. As Sango and Miroku sadly glanced at one another, silently asking the other what they should do, Shippou, noticing his friends' uncertainty, stepped forward and gently climbed into Kagome's lap. The downcast miko embraced the young kitsune in her arms as her endless tear soon began to dampen his soft, red fur.  
  
"Oh, Shippou.He's dead...He's dead and it's all my fault."  
  
The young fox cub snuggled closer to Kagome as he desperately tried to fight back his own grief. 'I can't cry. I have to be strong, for Kagome, for Inuyasha.'  
  
"Oh, Kagome don't blame yourself." Shippou whispered in a slightly cracked voice. "It's not your fault." Sango knelt down beside her friend with tear streaming down her face as she helped the girl to her feet.  
  
"He's right Kagome. Inuyasha died fighting. He died protecting the one he loved. He would have...wanted it this way." The young miko collapsed into the exterminator's arms with a heart-wrenching sob as she was led away from her love's lifeless body with Shippou following closely behind. After watching the two women slowly return to their encampment, Miroku solemnly knelt beside his fallen comrade's motionless body, folding his hand across his chest in traditional style, as he closed his eyes and bowed his head in preparation for performing Inuyasha's last rights.  
  
'No matter how much you tried to deny it,' the young monk thought sadly as he finished his prayer. 'You truly were human.' This realization reined true even in death for even after the first rays of dawn gently fell upon Inuyasha's motionless being, he still retained his human form.  
  
The entire group silently agreed that returning to Kaede's village would probably be the best course of action. Before placing their dead friend's motionless body on Kirara's back, they carefully wrapped him in several blankets so that if by chance a demon saw them as they flew by, they would have no clue of what had happened. Even Miroku began to cry at this action for covering Inuyasha's face seemed to be the final thing that wrote his death in stone, making it an absolute fact. Sango and the others kept a close eye on Kagome throughout their entire trip back to the village. The young girl's gaze never left her lost love's body as she unconsciously clutched the Tetsusaiga closer to her body. Sango sighed sadly and desperately fought back the tears brought forth from the scene before her as Kirara gently touched down outside Kaede's hut. The old miko along with several villagers walked cheerfully up to the group in order to greet them but at seeing the large bundle placed on Kirara's back and the group's diminished numbers they soon realized what had come to pass. Tears fell down Kaede's aged face as she suddenly turned to several of the men around her and whispered several hushed commands, sending them off with mixed looks of confusion and sorrow etched on their faces.  
  
Later that day, after much hard work and hasty preparation, Inuyasha's body was gently placed inside a simple wooden coffin that rested beside a large hole dug directly in front of the Go-Shinboku[1] tree. The red haori he had always worn had been carefully removed from the hanyou's unmoving form and replaced with a simple black kimono. Pictures of the group and other tokens of love and appreciation were placed along side the body by the few people that did attend the funeral. When he approached the coffin, Miroku gently wove the prayer beads that once adorned his left hand in and out of his friend's cold lifeless fingers. After Naraku had been defeated and the young monk could then call upon the Wind Tunnel at will, he had kept the beads as a small memento of all the things the group had been through and it only seemed fitting that the young hanyou received them. As he rose to his feet he cast one last glance into the box that now held the seemingly sleeping youth.  
  
"Good-bye, my friend."  
  
After the young monk had finished paying his respects, Kaede slowly stepped forward, smiling sadly as she reached into the coffin and ran an old gnarled finger across the sacred binding spell beads she had placed around the young man's neck so long ago. "I think 'tis time ye had these removed, my dear Inuyasha." She closed her eyes and lightly muttered several incomprehensible words under her breath. A fierce wind began to blow around the mourners as the small beads slowly took on a soft, golden glow. As the elderly priestess uttered the last of her incantation, the individual jewels suddenly flew into the air where the reattached themselves to form the subduing necklace they had once been. With a shaking hand and tear-obscured vision, Kaede reached up and removed the now useless artifact from its stationary position in the air, letting out a suppressed sigh as she did so. A small, sad smile marred her lips as she looked back into the coffin.  
  
"Rest well young warrior. May ye's soul finally find the peace and contentment that life never granted ye."  
  
The old miko slowly made her way over to Kagome, who had remained silent and unmoving throughout the entire ceremony. Her normally cheerful, chocolate brown eyes seemed to be slightly glazed over as she solemnly stared into the space in front of her, unconsciously running her hands over the Tetsusaiga's blood stained hilt. The young girl did not so much as finch as Kaede gently pressed the newly formed necklace into the palm of her hand and carefully closed her fingers around it.  
  
"Child, 'tis time for ye to say good-bye."  
  
A clap of thunder bellowed loudly in the back round as several bolts of lightning flitted through the dark clouds over head. Kagome shivered slightly and unconsciously tightened her grip around the beads as she took several tentative steps forward before collapsing to her knees beside the coffin, tears streaming down her face and her shoulders shaking with uncontrollable sobs.  
  
"I..Inu..yasha..I don't want to...I can't do this..I can't..live.without you..here.with me..." The young girl hesitantly reached into the coffin and cupped her love's pale, cold face in her hands as she slowly lowered her head into the box so that only a few centimeters separated them. Several silvery tears slid down Kagome's cheeks, escaping through tightly shut eyes and falling softly onto Inuyasha's face as she closed the spaces between them and lightly kissed unmoving hanyou upon his lips.  
  
"Good-bye my love...my Inuyasha."  
  
Another flash of lightning lit up the sky, closely followed by a deafening thunder clap, as the young miko solemnly backed away from her ebony haired lover. Torrential rain began to fall upon the small group, droplets of water weaving their way in and out of the tears that they shed, as the coffin's lid was securely nailed into place, carefully lowered into the ground and gently covered with earth. Sango and Miroku were about to make their way back toward the village, but at seeing that Kagome was making no move to follow, they gently took her by the arms and carefully guided her toward their destination. Shippou was about to follow suit, but after seeing that he was the only soul left at the gravesite, he decided to stay a moment longer. Droplets of water fell in a constant dream from the kitsune's soaked red fur as he slowly reached into his worn tan vest and pulled out a small cluster of beautiful orange tiger lilies, which he gently placed on the newly formed burial mound in front of him.  
  
"Inuyasha...after Father died, you and Kagome..were all I had left in the world...But now that you're..gone, I feel like I'm losing part of my family again, like I'm losing my big brother." Shippou paused momentarily as he bowed his head, tilting it slightly away from the grave as he tightly squeezing his eyes shut in a desperate attempt to keep his tears from falling.  
  
"No." He shook his head lightly. "I'm not going to cry. I've gotta be strong..like you were."  
  
Lightning once again flashed through the sky, seemingly signaling the rain to fall harder upon the morose youth as he finally regained his composure, lifting his head to gaze once more upon the grave in front of him with a new found determination burning in his eyes.  
  
"I promise you that I will do everything I can to keep Kagome and the others safe. It's the least I can do after everything that you have done for me." The young kitsune took a step forward, placing a small furred hand on the grave marker, as he softly whispered, " Rest well, Aniki[2]."  
  
Later that night, as the storm raged outside, the melancholy young group sat in complete silence within the confines of Kaede's hut. The small fire located in the center of the room crackled merrily in the back round, seemingly mocking the mourning people that it provided warmth for. Surprisingly it was Sango who decided to destroy the silent barrier erected around them.  
  
"From being a slayer, I have killed many a demon with out thought or remorse...But today...was the first time that.." She let the statement hang in the air as she lowered her gaze to her lap where Kirara was resting peacefully. Miroku nodded sadly as he let out a small, cracked sigh. "Inuyasha...was one of the most honorable people I have ever had the privilege of meeting. Even after all the torment he was subjected to he still remained hope full and strong." The young monk paused slightly as he cast a depressing glance toward the middle of his left hand. The only sign that the Wind Tunnel still remained was a small, circular scar on his palm. "Though defeating Naraku did not rid me of my curse completely, it did stop it from spreading and allowed me to open and close it at will. Thanks to Inuyasha I now have a hope for my future, something I never thought was possible. I only wish that I had had the chance to repay him."  
  
At hearing this, Kagome suddenly rose to her feet and walked unsteadily toward the pair on the other side of the hut. She quickly took hold of their hands and forced them together, gently entwining their fingers, making both the monk and the exterminator blush violently. Seeing that her work was done, Kagome grinned half heartedly at her comrades before rising to her feet and quickly heading towards the door. Miroku quickly snapped out of his embarrassment and called out to the young miko, making her stop hesitantly at the door frame. "Lady Kagome, wait!" He cast an uncertain glance at Sango before continuing. "Why?"  
  
Kagome did not turn around to answer but let out a small, cracked sigh as she answered back in a tear filled voice. "It's what he told me to do...just before he died." Her shoulders began to shake slightly as she made another move to leave, but Miroku called out once more, stopping her in her tracks.  
  
"But wait! Where are you going?"  
  
She didn't answer right away, but then suddenly turned back around with a smile on her face that held only sorrow as tears began to well up in her eyes and slowly stream down her cheeks.  
  
"Home."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NOTES~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [1]Go-Shinboku AKA: the god tree, the only Inu. Was originally pinned to.  
  
[2] Aniki means something like "older brother" in Japanese  
  
Also just FYI Naraku has been defeated. Miroku can still use his Wind Tunnel but there's no longer the threat of it sucking him up and it will no longer be passed on. He can also open and close it by will. Just thought u'd like 2 know.  
  
Hey I just wanted 2 give a special thanx 2 all those who reviewed:  
  
K8 (thanx 4 pointing out my time priorities) Sakura(introduced me 2 a new saying) STARFIRE01 (gave me a new idea 4 another fic) Naomi, Reina Lee, Ofelia, Jessica, animegirl, shiina147, darkangel, Ayumi Alice (AKA: the spell check chick) Velvetblood (also gave me another great idea)  
  
Thanx again 4 all ur encouraging words and stuff like that and ill try 2 get the next chappie up as soon as possible. If u have any questions/comments email me at bubblegirlbob43@hotmail.com than again.  
Ja Ne! 


	4. Plans

Chapter 4: Plans  
  
Kagome had barely taken three steps into her house before she began to feel the tears well up in her eyes once again. She had hoped that by leaving the Feudal Era she would also be leaving behind the surroundings that reminded her so much of Inuyasha but found that she had been gravely mistaken. Even the smallest, insignificant objects seemed to contain a memory or a feeling of him that sent a wave of sadness through out Kagome's entire body.  
  
"Kagome is that you?"  
  
The young girl jumped slightly at her mother's calls as she gently placed the small ink well [1] back on the desk before her and quickly turned to find her standing in the doorway, nonchalantly wiping her hands on her apron.  
  
"So how was your time in the Feudal Era?"  
  
A single tear rolled down Kagome's cheek as she forced a cheerful smile onto her face and answered back in a slightly cracked voice. "It was great." Mrs. Higurashi frowned slightly as she quickly crossed the room and tilted her daughter's head upward so she could look into her eyes.  
  
"You two are fighting again aren't you?"  
  
Every ounce of composure the young girl had been able to contain crumbled over those few innocent words as she shook her head violently and buried her face into her mother's shoulder. At first the older woman was confused at her daughter's actions but at seeing the prayer beads that now hung from her neck and the sword that lay on the table behind them she finally understood. She let herself and Kagome collapse to the floor where she took the sobbing young woman in her arms and slowly began to rock back and forth.  
  
"Shhh...it's going to ok."  
  
Kagome began to sob harder as she buried her face deeper into her mother's embrace. "N..nno, everything ..is..n't g..going to be..ok.He. d..died..protecting.me." Her muffled words came out as barely a whisper but they reached Mrs. Higurashi all the same. She clutched her daughter closer as she began to feel her own tears fall down her cheeks.  
  
"I'm so sorry Kagome," she said soothingly as she continued to rock back and forth. " just remember that he's in a better place now. Some where he'll be at peace and where he'll be able to watch over and love you for all eternity." ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Kagome..please don't cry over me." Inuyasha felt a single tear roll down his cheek as his final breath passed his lips and he surrendered to the world of darkness that had been waiting for him at the edge of his mind. After floating with in the black void for seemingly an eternity, the sound of hundreds of tiny wind chimes began to bring the young hanyou out of his dark prison. He opened his eyes slightly and found that he was no longer at Kagome's side but laying in a patch of tall, soft grass at the edge of a small pond. Light pink and lavender hued water lilies floated gently a top its placid surface, occasionally disturbed by a slight breeze that blew through the branches of the sakura trees near by. Taking in the scenery through half lidded eyes, Inuyasha suddenly felt a sense of familiarity flow through him.  
  
' This place....I've been here before.'  
  
Memories of Sesshomaru and the Nothing Woman began to flash through his head as he slowly pushed himself into a sitting position.  
  
'But that would mean that I'm in...no that can't be right..can it?"  
  
The sound of soft foot steps suddenly reached his ears, making him instinctively jump to his feet and reach to his side for his weapon, only to grope nothing but air. As he spun around, frantically searching for his sword, he abruptly took notice of a large shrine appearing through the mist. Hundreds of small, crystal wind chimes hung from its sloped terra cotta roof, sparkling like diamonds as they swayed gently in the breeze. He tensed slightly as the fog parted, revealing a beautiful young woman. Her long, ebony hair and elegant silk kimono rippled slightly in the wind as her kind face split into a gentle smile.  
  
"My dear Inuyasha, how I've missed you so."  
  
Amber eyes widened in shock as the silver haired young man let his arms fall limply at his sides and dropped weakly to his knees in the soft grass that surrounded him.  
  
"M..mm mother?!"  
  
The young woman's face brightened slightly, tears glistening in her eyes, when another taller figure emerged from the shadows and gently placed a large, clawed hand on her slender shoulder. The man looked to about in his late twenties with long, flowing silver hair that was pulled into a low ponytail at the base of his neck with a small strip of dark green leather. Underneath his glimmering golden samurai armor was an outfit similar to Inuyasha's haori, but instead of being a bright crimson, it was an almost unnatural shade of snowy white with small, intricate designs embroidered on them with black thread. His facial markings and pointed ears closely resembled Sesshomaru's but with one major difference. Where Inuyasha's brother always had an expression devoid of any emotion, the amber eyes of the man before the young hanyou were filled with happiness, joy and laughter. He smiled slightly at the confused look the silver haired boy gave him as he stepped forward and placed two heavily tattooed hands on the youth's shoulders before pulling him into a crushing embrace.  
  
"My son, it has been far too long."  
  
Inuyasha gasped in surprise as he forcefully pushed himself away from the man and gave him an incredulous look.  
  
"D..DAD?!"  
  
The man's grin broadened as he ruffled his son's hair affectionately. " So you do have my brains after all." The young man pulled away from the touch and took several steps backward. "But.you're dead. Both of you are dead." He mumbled softly as his mother approached her husband and gently took hold of his arm.  
  
"Yes, we are." She replied as a sad expression crossed her face. " and so are you."  
  
The shocked expression returned to Inuyasha's face as he took several more steps backwards and shook his head violently while staring at his hands raised in front of him.  
  
"No..I can't be.." he shifted his gaze from his hands to his parents. "I can't.." His father held his wife closer in his arms as tears began to well up in her eyes, giving the young man the truth he did not wish to know. Inuyasha hung his head slightly so that his eyes were hidden by his long silver bangs. His shoulders shook slightly as he let out a small shuttering sigh.  
  
"Feh, at least I was able to protect her." He raised his head and gazed questioningly at the couple before him with sorrowful amber eyes. "I did protect her right? I mean, Kagome didn't get hurt did she?" His mother smiled sadly at her beloved son.  
  
"Would you like to see her?"  
  
A small half hearted grin marred his lips as Inuyasha lightly nodded his head. At seeing his response, the young woman closed her eyes and gracefully placed her hands out in front of her where a few moments later a small white water lily formed between her fingers. Suddenly a brilliant flash of bright pink light burst forth from the beautiful flower, blinding the young man and all who witnessed it. When Inuyasha's vision finally returned to him, he was amazed to discover that he was longer standing in the Crossroads garden, but beside the one girl who he had given his life and heart for.  
  
"Kagome."  
  
The young woman was staring directly at the shelf in front of her with an unreadable expression etched upon her face, completely oblivious to his presence. Her body was positioned in such a way that it seemed that she had merely been passing by when she suddenly notice exactly what the small containers resting on the stand beside her actually were; cups of instant Ramen. Pain flickered in Kagome's eyes as she shakily reached for the nearest parcel of food, carelessly tossing it into her basket as she reached up for yet another. As she removed the very last container from the shelf and placed it with the others, her basket finally decided to give out, tossing everything across the cold linoleum floor. She quickly fell to her knees and scrambled to pick up the shattered items as fast as she could while tears streamed down her face and mixed with the spilled food spread out across the floor. Inuyasha quickly knelt by her side with a mixed look of sadness and longing fixed upon his face.  
  
"Oh, Kagome.. I told you not to cry over me." He reached forward to wipe a silvery tear from her cheek when he suddenly noticed that his hand was almost completely transparent. A despondent smile graced his lips as he let out a small tear filled sigh and let his hand fall limply back to his side. " Right, I'm a ghost now. You can't sense me at all can you?" Glistening tears began to fall from his eyes as his parents looked on from behind with sympathetic looks on their faces. The young woman quickly turned and whispered something to her husband, never taking her eyes off the grieving youth before her. His eyes widened with shock from her words ad her was about to reply when she suddenly stepped forward and sat down beside her son.  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
The young woman became slightly concerned when the young man gave no sign that he had acknowledged her presence. His sad amber eyes seemed to be magnetically drawn to the grieving young woman as she finally picked up the last of the Ramen and shakily rose onto unsteady feet. I wasn't until her retreating form and completely disappeared into the next isle did Inuyasha hesitantly turn his head to look his mother with a blank yet questioning expression on his face. The young woman bit her lip but decided to go on with her idea.  
  
"There may.there may be a way. for you to go back."  
  
Hope flickered across the young man's face but faltered slightly at seeing the sad look his mother now wore. "There's a catch, isn't there."  
  
"I told you he had my brains," his father called out as he approached his family and knelt beside them. His mother smiled slightly but it held no warmth or happiness as she stared sadly into her son's beautiful amber eyes. "There are two complications that come along with this spell. One, should any part of the ritual be done incorrectly, your soul will instantly be shattered and will spread endlessly across the three worlds, never to find its place of peace." The young hanyou snorted softly.  
  
"Well, I've always liked to travel."  
  
His mother gave him a worried look but continued on. "The second reason is by far the worst and is why I urge you to tread upon your decision with the utmost care and caution." Inuyasha nodded slightly as he leaned closer, unfazed by the warning, still eager to find how he could return to his love. She sighed slightly at her son's naïveté to the situation but decided to continue. "Should this work and you do return to the living realm, it will only be for about.twenty years."  
  
He let out a small laugh as he closed one eye and scratched his ear. "Well, it will be twenty more years that I get to be with Kagome and that's twenty more then I have right now."  
  
The young woman sighed as she lowered her gaze to her lap. "The time limit isn't the only problem.. When the twenty years are spent and you 'die', you will no longer be allowed past the gates of heaven."  
  
The young man snorted. "I was going to be allowed into heaven? Obviously someone didn't read my record that closely did they?"  
  
"Inuyasha this is serious!" The stern and slightly forceful tone in his father's voice almost immediately changed the silver haired boy's sarcastic attitude. "When you die, you will instantly be pulled into the pits of hell where you will pay for every evil deed you ever committed, no matter the consequences. This means that should you decide to follow through with this course of action, you will be condemning yourself to an eternity of pain and suffering." The older man looked on through concerned amber eyes as he watched his son take a deep breath and slowly release it while conflicted expressions flickered across his face. "It's your choice son. All I can tell you is let your heart guide you. It knows the right path to lead you to."  
  
Inuyasha inhaled deeply once again before lifting his head to gaze solemnly upon his father. "If I was willing to go to hell for my first love, wouldn't it only make sense for me to face the same fate for my true love? Besides, an eternity without Kagome, even in heaven, would be hell in itself." His father's face softened as he gave Inuyasha a saddening smile and placed his hands on his shoulders. He nodded gently to his wife who shakily reached into the long sleeve of her kimono and pulled out a small round object wrapped in sparkling amethyst silk. She tenderly unraveled the delicate fabric, revealing a beautiful pearly white stone. The kanji of heaven lay submerged within its murky depths, glowing a slightly golden color from the surrounding light.  
  
"This," she explained, " is the Tendou[2] Stone, one of the three treasures you must collect for this ritual." She then reached out and plucked a small light pink water lily from the ponds surface and placed it along with the talisman and a lock of her ebony hair in the palm of Inuyasha's hand. "Along with jewels, you must also collect two specific items from each world."  
  
The young hanyou's head shot up at this comment. "Wait. All three worlds? I'm going to have to travel into Hell?!"  
  
The young woman bit her lip as she twisted her hands about in her lap. "Unfortunately yes. It also means that you must contact someone in the living realm and tell them of our plans so that they may begin their search for the Chi[3] Stone and its accompanying charms."  
  
Inuyasha nodded slightly and rubbed his hands together as a small grin split across his face. "Well, let's get to it shall we?"  
  
Both his parents smiled back at the youth as the young woman once again formed the glowing lotus flower between her fingers. When his amber eyes finally adjusted to the unaccustomed darkness, Inuyasha found himself hovering cross-legged above Kagome's sleeping form sprawled haphazardly across her bed. He sighed slightly as he leaned forward so that their faces were only inches apart.  
  
"I just hope that she listens to her dreams more then I do."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~Notes~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
[1] If this confuses you then mayb this will clear it up. Everything in her house reminded her of Inu. Ok. So when she found the ink well it reminded her of how sensitive his nose was 2 the stuff like when they face the man with pot of ink w/ a jewel shard in it. A know? If u don't email me and ill explain it in better detail.  
  
[2] Heaven  
  
[3] Earth  
  
Ok once again I'm sry it took so long but I had a family crisis so I couldn't do much about it. Im working as fast as I can on the next chap and hopefully no more members of my family die and I get it done soon (or velvetblood will b forming a protest against me...lol j/k {I hope}) thanx again Ja Ne! 


	5. Defixus Lamentabile

IM SRY! IM SRY! IM SRY! IM SRY! Thanx 4 being soooooooooo patient and im REALLY sry it took so long for me to update. This chap is just a smidge longer then the others so hopefully that will make up for it a bit. Anyways hope u like it!  
  
Chapter 5: Defixus Lamentabile  
  
The smell of rain hung heavily on the night air as Kagome gently leaned out her window to observe the world through sad russet colored eyes. She unconsciously played with the delicate jade ring resting on her left hand as a bolt of lightening suddenly flashed through the sky, illuminating the area in a bright golden glow, as the first drops of rain fell to the cold, dry earth. Kagome sighed heavily as she slowly moved to close her window but as another streak of electricity blasted through the heavens, a figure in the trees suddenly made the young woman's breathe catch in her chest. Amber eyes met chocolate before in a whirl of crimson the figure shot through branches and into the woods. Before the young miko knew what she was doing, she had flung herself down the stairs and out the door, running as fast as she could after the young man flitting through the stormy air above. Her feet slipped momentarily on the soft mud, almost throwing the young girl to the rain soaked earth as she quickly approached the Goshinboku tree where the dripping figure stood, stoically gazing into the bows of the mighty plant.  
  
'Inuyasha, you're alive!'  
  
His ear twitched slightly in her direction as he slowly turned to stare at Kagome with empty, amber eyes as she suddenly rushed forward to embrace the love Fate had heartlessly separated her from. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the rainwater that already dampened her cheeks, as she buried her self deeper into the young man's chest.  
  
"Inuyasha," she sobbed, "I thought I was never going to see you again."  
  
A pained look flashed in the hanyou's eyes as he gently rested his chin atop the young woman's head and tightened his arms around her.  
  
"Kagome......please listen because we don't have much time."  
  
The young woman raised her head slightly so she could gaze into Inuyasha's sorrowful amber eyes with a look of confusion etched upon her face. "What do you mean?" The silver haired youth smiled sadly as he brushed a strand of rain soaked hair out of Kagome's face.  
  
"This....isn't real. We're living in a dream, Kagome.......It isn't.........real." The way Inuyasha spoke made it seem almost as if he was trying more to convince himself of this harsh reality then telling the young miko the truth of their surroundings.[1] Kagome's incredulous look only intensified as she retreated several steps back and began shaking her head in denial.  
  
"No. This is real....It has to be....you have to be...."Tears of sorrow soon began to replace the ones of happiness as Inuyasha quickly stepped forward and took the sobbing young woman in his arms and gently placed his chin atop her head as she rested her cheek on his chest.  
  
"Kagome...this may just be a dream but..... there may be a way to bring me back."  
  
The young woman once again donned a look of bewilderment as the silver haired young man reached inside his soaked, crimson haori to retrieve a small, amethyst hued silk pouch which he carefully began to open, reveling a beautiful pearly white stone, a lock of ebony hair, and a delicate pink lotus flower. An unreadable expression flashed across Inuyasha's face as he took one last saddened glance towards the objects he held as he tenderly took Kagome's hand and gently placed them in her palm, carefully wrapping her long, pale fingers around the precious items, before lifting his head to once again gaze into her beautiful brown eyes.  
  
"These are only one part of a spell called defixus lamentabile[2] I need you and the others to find the second part of the charm as I find the third." He made a small circular motion with his right hand, making a worn piece of parchment appear before him in a cloud of opaque gray smoke and handed it to Kagome. A loud, resonating gong suddenly erupted through the dense forest that surrounded them as an almost painfully bright light appeared through the trees. Inuyasha turned to face the young miko, a look of immeasurable sadness radiating throughout his somber amber eyes, as he moved forward and gently placed his forehead against hers.[3]  
  
"I have to go now. Just remember that I love you. Please be careful because I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you." The final gong began to echo around the couple as Inuyasha placed a small kiss on the young woman's lips and began to retreat into the light, waiting until the very last moment to release his grasp on Kagome's hand, as he called out to her from the void.  
  
"I'll be waiting."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The sun had just begun to appear over the horizon, casting a golden glow across the heavens, as Kagome slowly opened her eyes. The dream suddenly began to flash through her mind as she sat forward and shakily ran her hands over her face in a desperate attempt to keep her tears from falling.  
  
'It was just a dream....He's not coming back.'  
  
She groggily threw her feet over the side of her bed; not noticing the dried mud caked in between her toes, and tediously made her way over to her dresser where she picked up a small, wooden handled brush and carefully began to untangle her unruly ebony locks. Satisfied with her work, the young woman quickly turned to leave, when a flash of light from across the room suddenly caught her attention. A look of confusion spread across Kagome's face as she cautiously made her way over to the small table beside her bed to find a delicate silk pouch lying on top of its gleaming, wooden surface. A petite smile slowly crept across the young miko's features as she carefully opened the lavender bag to have the same pearly white stone from her dream suddenly fall out onto her open palm The golden kanji of heaven shone up at her from within the gem's cloudy depths as the young girl began to examine the rest of the bags contents, stopping suddenly on the small, worn piece of parchment that had been meticulously folded into neat, little square. After reading over the note's hastily scribbled message, Kagome quickly began gathering her things, shoving them carelessly into her tattered, yellow backpack, and ran down the stairs of her home. Her mother called out to her from the kitchen but the young girl shoved the words into the back of her mind as she quickly made her way out the door in the direction of the Bone Eaters Well.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Tears began to form in Kagome's eyes as she lowered her head in an attempt to escape her friend's saddening glances. Of all the people she knew, the young woman had thought that it would be Sango and Miroku who would believe her tale without question, but now she wasn't so sure.  
  
"...Kagome?" The young miko raised her head to meet Sango's concerned brown eyes. "..How can you.....be certain that this dream...really was a message from Inuyasha?" Kagome sighed slightly, considering her answer carefully as she reached into her pocket to retrieve the worn piece of parchment and carefully handed it to the couple before her. Their eyes widened at the familiar kanji [4] as they quickly read over the paper's message.  
  
Kagome, The dream was real. Don't let anything make you think other wise. Defixus lamentabile is a spell that involves three stones that represent each world, heaven, hell, and earth. The Tendou stone, the white gem that you currently have, and the other objects in the bag are only part of the over all charm. While I travel to Hell to retrieve the Heru stone, I need you and the others to find the ingredients we need from Earth. The Chi stone is located in the left eye of the Hebidoku, a giant snake demon whose venom can kill a man in seconds. The other charms that you must find are a fang taken from one of my rivals and a flower called the bleeding heart. In order to perform the spell, all of the items must be on Earth so when I finally get what I need I'll find a way to send them to you. Please hurry for we only have until the quarter moon[5] to complete the ritual or I will never be able to return. I love you Kagome. Please be careful. I'm sorry that I'm once again putting you in so much danger, but hopefully everything will turn out ok. If anything happens to you or the others, I would never forgive myself. With all my love, Inuyasha  
  
Sango and Miroku looked up from the letter with incredulous looks on their faces as a small half hearted smile crept across Kagome's lips.  
  
"If one of you had died, wouldn't you just know that it was your other half trying to reach you?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Kagome's words reverberated within Miroku's head as the small group quickly pressed further into the dense, murky forest. The name of the spell had been bothering the young monk for some time because he was certain that he had heard that language before. 'Defixus lamentabile.......the spell of sadness.....but how could it cause sadness if it's going to bring Inuyasha back?' Miroku was suddenly brought from his thoughts by a gentle hand touching his shoulder and quickly turned to look into Sango's concerned auburn eyes. It was then that he suddenly realized that they had come to a stop in front of a small, dark cave whose entrance was almost completely hidden by a thick curtain of ivy.  
  
"This is it. The place Lady Kaede said the Hebidoku was to have resided....You ready to go in?" The young monk paused slightly as he gazed over to where Kagome and Shippou stood and nodded his head forcefully in agreement after seeing the mixed look of sadness and determination etched across her face.  
  
"Yes....Let's proceed."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Water dripped in a steady stream from the large stalactites hanging from the rocky ceiling, the sound of their decent combining with the soft footsteps created by the small group, echoing off the walls of the cave and cutting through the dead silence that blanketed them as Miroku led them through the inky darkness, using a large flashlight Kagome had brought with her to illuminate their horrifying surroundings. Hundreds upon hundreds of human bones and skulls littered the cave's damp floor, some still retaining pieces of their original owners[6]When the light from the flashlight fell across the remains, eerie shadows were created along the walls, intensifying the already terrifying aura the area seemed to contain. The monk wrinkled his nose in disgust as he moved the light away from the blood stained bones when it suddenly landed on a large, scaly green coil. A pair of mismatched eyes suddenly immerged from the darkness, followed by a long, dangerous hiss. Miroku took several steps backward as he fumbled with the flashlight, raising it to illuminate the enemy before him. The enormous snake demon was more the 50 ft. long, it's scales gleaming a poisonous green in the light from the flashlight, as it rapidly uncoiled itself from the floor and rose high above the intruders. Its right eye flashed a dangerous blood red while its left shone the most incredible shade of gold. Suddenly without warning, it launched itself at the terrified monk, who only just managed to escape its ferocious attack. Unfortunately Sango wasn't so lucky for at the very last moment the Hebidoku's tail shot out and connected with the exterminator's chest, sending her flying back into the hard stone wall with a sickening thud.  
  
"Sango, NO!!" Miroku was on his feet in mere seconds, running as fast as his legs could carry him to the young woman's fallen form. This sudden movement did not go unnoticed by the monstrous serpent however, and with another forceful flick of its tail, the young monk soon joined the exterminator in unconsciousness. Kagome gasped in horror as she helplessly watched her friends being mercilessly thrown into the hard cave walls. She quickly snapped out of her shock as she hastily strung an arrow into her bow and expertly took aim. The young miko smiled triumphantly as the projectile flew through the air, knowing that there was no way for the beast to escape. The Hebidoku turned just in time to see the arrow connect with its scaly hide only to reflect off of its skin and embed itself in the dirt floor.  
  
'My arrow!!! It didn't work!'  
  
Kagome shrank against the cold, wet wall behind her as the enormous demon slowly began to close the gap between itself and its prey. It let out a long, dangerous hiss as it pulled its head back in preparation to strike when a large stream of bright blue flames suddenly exploded in front of it. Moments later, Shippou followed his attack, placing himself in between the young miko and her attacker. A mixed look of shock and horror spread across Kagome's face as she called out to the young kitsune from her position against the wall.  
  
"Shippou what are you doing? Get away from there!"  
  
The young fox demon shook his head slightly as he glanced back at his friend from over his shoulder, a sad little smile playing on his lips.  
  
"I promised him I'd do everything I could to protect you and I never break my promises."  
  
With that said, Shippou suddenly launched himself at the Hebidoku, throwing the fox fire directly into the monster's eyes before quickly dodging out of the way. The demon shrieked in agony as it shook the flames from it mismatched eyes, lunging blindly in the youth's direction. Shippou reacted quickly and used his kitsune magic to multiply his form in an attempt to escape. Unfortunately the Hebidoku saw right through the deception and viciously rammed its tail into the young fox demon's chest, sending him flying into a nearby stalagmite, shattering it to pieces on contacted as he instantly fell unconscious.  
  
"Shippou, NO!" Kagome rushed to the youth's prone form and took him in her arms, cradling his body in her lap as the demon stealth fully made its way towards them. It wasted no time in attacking, throwing its entire body in the young girls direction with its mouth wide open, revealing two large, fangs dripping with venom. The raven, haired miko let out a small, horrified scream as she raised her arm in front of her in a feeble attempt to protect herself when a loud shout from nearby caught her attention. The Hebidoku suddenly came to a dead stop in the air in front of her and then was abruptly pulled to the other side of the cave where Miroku stood supporting his left arm as the demon was slowly engulfed by the Wind Tunnel. The young monk grimaced slightly as the last of the demon disappeared into the void, letting out a horrendous shriek in its last moments of life, as he fell to his knees and cradled his arm in his hands. He then suddenly looked up and met Kagome's vacant gaze then quickly looked away. Her heartbroken expression cut him completely to the core, making waves of guilt wash over him as he desperately tried to hold on to consciousness.  
  
'Damn. The poison is just as potent as Naraku's insects were.'  
  
The young monk slowly rose to his feet using the wall to support himself as he tediously walked to where Kagome's unmoving form remained, her eyes staring blankly into the air in front of her. "He can't come back now." Miroku sighed heavily as he gently placed his hand on the young miko's shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
Kagome's gaze suddenly shot to the person beside her, her russet colored eyes full of anger and hate.  
  
"It's your fault! It's all your fault! You destroyed the only chance Inuyasha had of coming back! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she hastily got to her feet and ran past Miroku, knocking into him before quickly sprinting out of the cave, through the curtain of ivy and into the woods nearby. Miroku was about to follow when a hand was gently placed on his shoulder. He turned to find that Sango had finally awakened, using Hirikotsu to aid her in reaching the young monk's side. She smiled sadly as he reached up and placed his hand over hers and squeezed it gently.  
  
"I didn't mean to....I thought......it would have....."  
  
The exterminator's expression softened slightly as she embraced her love tightly trying to convey to him that she understood.  
  
"I know. Do not worry. We shall find another way."  
  
Miroku solemnly nodded his head as he bent down to pick up Shippou's unconscious form and left the cave with Sango by his side. Unbeknownst to the young couple, deep within the cave an evil presence still resided, their blood red eyes flashing wickedly in the darkness before suddenly disappearing with a sadistic chuckle back into the black abyss that surrounded it.  
  
~~~~~NOTES~~~~~~  
  
[1] for some reason this was THE hardest paragraph/sentence that I had to write  
  
[2] Defixus Lamentabile (Day-fix-e-us La-men-ta-boo-lay) pretty much means "Spell of Sadness" in Latin  
  
[3] Sounds like a strange action but hey it puts people in closer proximity to one another and lets them look n2 each other's eyes.......just work w/ me ok?^_^;  
  
[4] I'm not sure if they said in the manga wither or not Inuyasha could write but in this fic he can!  
  
[5] ok I know what ur thinking....ewwwwwwww......but hey it's called imagery  
  
[6] oh and just cuz I want 2 enlighten u 2 the amount of research ive been doing Hebidoku means "snake venom/ snake toxin" in Japanese and the Bleeding Heart really is a flower and it's the national funeral flower of Tibet.....ok so I got that off "The Wedding Planner" who cares?  
  
Oh yeah..... Heru means hell in Japanese.....just so ya know...... 


	6. Changes

Ok, I know that this will prob get me killed by someone, but I am replacing my last chapter (welcome to Hell) with this one. As I worked on my other chapters I realized that this chapter helped the story flow better then my 1st attempt. Again im sry if this makes everyone upset with me but I really did not like that chapter to begin with. I was rushed to update b/c I didn't want 2 disappoint any of my readers and I ended up w/ a crappy chapter. I promise that I am working hard on the rest of the story, but Im not going to update until it is completely finished. It may take one more chapter it may take five I don't know but I can tell u I am only getting like 3 hrs sleep in order to get it done. Please don't be mad with me, but hey if u r then so b it. Hope u like my 2nd attempt better then the 1st. until next time.  
  
Rekkaboziegirl  
  
"Changes"  
  
A cloaked woman half hidden in shadow quietly watched a shallow, water filled basin as it rotated slowly upon the air before her. The constantly moving light produced by the roaring fire near by flickered violently across the liquid's rippling surface, casting prisms of light onto the woman to reveal her long ebony hair as she leaned forward and casually waved a pale, slender hand over the ceramic bowl. A fierce wind began to blow through the dense forest, momentarily hiding the blood red moon behind thick, gray clouds as a blurry image slowly came into focus within the water's murky depths, revealing a solemn faced group as they slowly made their way back to a nearby village. The young monk seemed to be fading in and out of consciousness as he held fast to the shoulder of the young woman beside him as she helped him into a hut and gently placed him upon a sleeping pallet inside. He gave her a weary smile as she took a seat beside him and gently wiped a tear from her cheek before his eyes finally shut as he let his exhaustion consume him. A grief stricken expression crossed the young woman's face as she tenderly took the monk's hand in her own, carefully raising it to her cheek as she gently placed a damp cloth upon his brow. Outside a raven haired girl quietly sat beside the hut's entrance, her back resting against its rough wooden exterior with her arms wrapped protectively around her knees as several glistening tears made their way down her cheeks. She gently lowered her head into her arms, completely hiding her face from view as her shoulders began to shake with uncontrollable sobs while a young kitsune slowly began to approach her in an attempt to offer what little comfort her could offer. Seemingly satisfied with the scene before her, the cloaked woman once again waved her hand over the bowl, banishing the image back into the water's depth's as a weary sigh escaped her lips. A pale, long fingered hand suddenly emerged from the shadows and stealth fully took hold of the woman's slender shoulder, making her jump slightly in alarm as she quickly turned to face her visitor. Malicious laughter rang through out the clearing as the figure slowly stepped forward from the surrounding forest.  
  
"A bit tense today are we Kikyo?"  
  
The woman's eyes narrowed slightly in disgust as she violently shoved the intruding hand away from her body and replied in an icy, venom filled voice. "I see that you had fun in the mortal realm,Onigumo."  
  
The man's crimson eyes became clouded with fury as he suddenly lunged forward and violently grabbed the young priestess by her slender neck and forcefully slammed her into a nearby tree. "Don't you dare call me by that name!" He snarled as a sardonic laugh escaped Kikyo's lips and a seemingly mocking smile formed on her pale face.  
  
"You think you can frighten me! I'm already dead you fool! What could you possibly do that hasn't already been done?"  
  
A dark expression crossed Naraku's face as he suddenly released the miko, sending her to the ground with a painful thud where she tenderly rubbed her neck as she slowly rose to her feet.  
  
"I would be careful if I were you Naraku.... without me, you will never escape this hellish prison."  
  
"And without me, dear Kikyo," he continued coldly. "You will never have your precious Inuyasha to spend eternity with."  
  
The young woman glared darkly at the crimson-eyed man before settling back down before the ceramic bowl in defeat, trying to ignore the maniacal laughter ringing in her ears as Naraku slowly melted back into the shadows while she once again returned her gaze to the water's depths where the flickering form of the young, silver haired hanyou suddenly began to form. She tenderly ran the tips of her fingers over the edges of the bowl as an almost loving expression began to work its way through her emotionless mask.  
  
"Soon Inuyasha, soon we shall be together just as you promised."  
  
<

At that exact moment, the same image that had appeared with in the ceramic bowl was playing itself before the solemn violet eyes of Inuyasha's mother. As the morbid scene slowly faded back into the glowing depths of the small, crystal sphere before her, Nobara slowly let an exasperated sigh escape her lips.  
  
"Fate never makes things easy does it?"  
  
The young woman jumped slightly as a large clawed hand was gently placed on her slender shoulder, but at finding herself looking into her husband's worried amber eyes she slowly gave him a weary smile and carefully wove her pale finger around his.  
  
"What has happened aisai [1] to cause so much sadness to appear in your eyes?"  
  
A disheartening expression worked its way across Nobara's face as she gently squeezed the demon lord's hand  
  
"The path Inuyasha has taken is proving to be much more difficult then I had originally hoped."  
  
Youken sighed deeply as he ran his clawed hand through his long, silver hair.  
  
"Our son's life has been nothing but difficult and he's some how been able to manage. Why should this be any different?"  
  
His wife was about to protest when the sudden sound of soft footsteps caught the couple's attention. A few moments later, Inuyasha appeared through the temple's doorway, completely soaked and caked in mud but with a content expression etched across his face.  
  
"I did it." He sighed as he collapsed onto the floor beside his parents and casually slipped his hands inside his sleeves. "I got in contact with Kagome and gave her the pouch. Soon I'll be back on Earth and this will all be just a bad dream." The hanyou sighed deeply once again, unknowingly showing his happiness in the idea of returning home when he suddenly took notice of his parents' solemn expressions. The smile that had worked its way across the youth's face slowly faded into a frown as he sat forward and gave the couple before him a questioning look.  
  
"Something's happened hasn't it."  
  
Nobara bit her lip slightly as her husband lowered his gaze to the floor, unwilling to look into his son's now disappointed eyes and thus giving him the unwanted answer. Inuyasha slowly closed his eyes as he clenched his teeth together in frustration while he unconsciously balled his hands into fists, making blood fall freely from where his claws bit into his palm. A loud cry suddenly forced its way out of the youth's mouth as he, in one swift, fluid motion, forcefully drove his fist into the weak wooden floor beneath him, sending a cloud of splinters flying in his wake.  
  
"God damn it! Why does this keep happening?!" Inuyasha angrily jumped to his feet, ignoring the throbbing pain that was shooting through his hand as he approached his parents. "Does Kami not want me to go back? Does he not want me to be with Kagome? Answer me, damn it!" Another part of the temple fell victim to the young hanyou's anger as he took another step towards his parents only to be flung backwards by a forceful slap from his father. Still in shock from the hit, Inuyasha slowly sat forward, placing his hand on the bruising part of his cheek, and looked into Youken's stern amber eyes as he knelt down before his son.  
  
"You are not a child, Inuyasha, so don't act like one. Now listen closely. When your friends found the hebidoku, something went wrong and it attacked, knocking both the exterminator and the kitsune unconscious while trapping Kagome in a corner. In order to save them, the monk became desperate and....."  
  
"He used the wind tunnel." A disheartening expression worked its way across Inuyasha's face as he completed his father's statement, never shifting his now blank gaze from the shattered floor nearby. Youken sighed deeply and placed a strong hand on the youth's shoulder, forcing him to look him in the eye once again.  
  
"The monk was badly poisoned Inuyasha. If we don't do something soon, he will die. The only thing that can save him now is what's killing him... the hebidoku's venom."  
  
At hearing this, a confused look began to appear on the hanyou's face. "But if it was drawn into the wind tunnel, how am I suppose to get the venom?" An unreadable expression crossed Nobara's face as she joined her family on the floor.  
  
"I recently discovered that your friend's wind tunnel is actually a portal that leads directly into the pits of hell."  
  
Inuyasha sighed heavily and slowly ran a hand through his long silver hair as a half-hearted smile formed on his lips. "Fate has a warped sense of humor." He shook his head softly as he returned his gaze to his parents. "Anything else you think I should know before I make my little excursion into hell?" The youth missed the pained expression that flashed across his mother's face as she shook her head, silently telling her husband to do the same.  
  
"Your father and I will open the gate long enough to let you in without anyone escaping. You must be very careful not let anything you see there get in the way of your mission." Before Inuyasha could ask her what she meant, Nobara had reached inside her robes and pulled out a very worn piece of parchment, tattered and discolored from age and excessive handling, along with a delicate silver mirror. The paper soon found its way into the hanyou's hands as the ebony haired woman continued.  
  
"This may sound odd, but this is a map of hell. Believe it or not, but that realm is a big place." A sad, distant look suddenly flashed through her eyes. "Too big if you ask me. It grows by the day." Inuyasha nodded in understanding as he carefully slipped the parchment inside his haori and wearily eyed the small mirror in his mother's hands. Catching her son's glance, Nobara quickly continued her explanation. "This is called the mirror of change and it has the ability to alter a person's outward appearance. You see...hell is exactly the horrible place it is made out to be, if not worse. If one of the spirits discovered that you are a hanyou, they would shred your soul before you even had the chance to defend yourself." The young woman's face fell slightly at seeing the disconcerted expression her son now wore. "I'm sorry Inuyasha but this is the only way. If you don't look like a demon then..." She let the statement hand in the air as a long, suffering sigh escapes the hanyou's lips.  
  
"I'm only going to look the part right?" He slowly turned his head so that he could gaze upon his mother with worried amber eyes. "I'm not going to become a monster again." It was a statement, not a question, and Nobara knew it so she smiled sadly and gently rested her small hand upon the youth's shoulder.  
  
"Yes my son, only on the outside." Relief washed over Inuyasha as he let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and ran a clawed hand through his long silver hair. "Then let's get this over with. The sooner my adventure begins the sooner it will end."  
  
Nobara once again nodded in agreement as she carefully lifted the mirror so that her son's face reflected across the item's surface. Moments later, small hairline fractures appeared upon the glass, separating it into three different sections, each containing the youth's human, demon or hanyou side. Inuyasha quickly tore himself away from the piercing crimson, violet, and amber eyes to gaze upon his mother, silently asking her what should be done next. She smiled softly as she leaned forward and carefully tapped the glass section holding the agitated looking demon making a gentle ripple suddenly emerge from the glass and silently move across the entire mirror until Inuyasha's demonic form completely dominated the glass surface. Crimson eyes widened in shock as Inuyasha slowly brought his hands before his face so that he could gaze upon the long sharp claws he now had. He ran his tongue over the large fangs that now protruded from his mouth as he ghosted his fingers over the jagged purple lines that now ran down his cheeks. He sighed heavily once again as he slowly rose to his feet, never shifting his gaze from his altered hands.  
  
"I had hoped that I would never see these claws again and yet here they are. At least....at least this time I have control over their actions." He smiled sadly at hearing his now rough voice as he dropped his arms back at his sides and looked over at his parents with despondent eyes. "Well let's get this over with shall we?" The couple nodded in agreement as Nobara formed the familiar glowing lotus flower and once again engulfed the group in a bright, white glow. As Inuyasha's eyes adjusted to the normal lighting, he found himself before three enormous doors floating through the thick, gray fog that now surrounded them. Nobara suddenly snapped her fingers, calling forth the large ebony door from in between the golden and pearly white portals as her husband quickly with drew a small black key from with in his robes. Inuyasha took a deep breath as he stepped forward, doing his best to ignore the foreboding feeling the door seemed to give off, when his father's hand suddenly shot out and stopped him.  
  
"Inuyasha, you must promise me that no matter what you may see in there, you will no stray from the path that you have chosen." A confused look flashed through the youth's eyes as he quickly turned to face his parents.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
The former demon lord sighed heavily and looked sadly into his son's eyes as he struggled with the right words to say. "As your mother told you before, hell is exactly the horrible place it is made out to be. The spirits there are very vengeful towards everyone, especially those that are able to escape. While you are there, they will attempt to get you to desert your mission by showing your deepest darkest fears."  
  
"You've been there?"  
  
"Unfortunately yes. It's our duty to guard these portals and at one point it was necessary for me to travel into hell so that a broken seal could be repaired....While I was there, many different scenes were played before my eyes....The day I died, the day your mother died, when I had to leave you...over and over I saw them but I knew deep down that they were only images, nothing more and you must do the same." Inuyasha paused slightly before silently nodding his head. "Something else you must know is that it is very likely that you will encounter spirits that you have fought before, many in which it is your fault that they are there." Youken quickly held up his hand to stop his son's protest. "Not that they weren't headed there in the first place but I'm going to tell you now that they will do everything within their power to stop you in order to achieve their revenge." He took another deep breath as he began to walk towards the door with his son, tightly gripping the small key in his hand. "They will attempt to 'kill' you, which means that your soul will be shredded and you will never be able to leave that realm." Inuyasha stopped suddenly before the door, keeping his amber eyes on the large ebony door as it floated before him. Youken sighed deeply as he too approached the door and gently placed the key within the lock engraved upon the portal.  
  
"Are you ready, my son?"  
  
Inuyasha tried to answer but found that his voice had deserted him. He nodded gently, trying desperately not to let his unease show upon his face, as he father slowly turned the key the within the door. The young hanyou took a deep breath and gave one last glance towards his parents before running as fast as he could into the thick gray fog that billowed out from behind the door. As soon as they were sure their son had made it through, Nobara and Youken quickly shut the door, locking it firmly behind them. The young woman suddenly launched herself at her husband, tears of sorrow streaming down her cheeks. The silver haired man smiled sadly as he took his wife in his arms and lightly kissed her upon the top of her head.  
  
""Shhh...It will be alright aisai. He will make it through this."  
  
"I wish I could be as confident as you. I know that he is strong but do you think that even he can over come the horrors that await him?" Youken sighed deeply as he looked down into Nobara's deep violet eyes.  
  
"Only he will be able to answer that. Now come. We must contact his friends so they know that there is still hope." The young woman nodded slightly and took her husband's large clawed hand in hers as she once again formed the lotus flower in her other palm. Moments later, the couple had completely vanished, not noticing the angry crimson glow that had appeared around the ebony portal as it floated about in the sea of gray fog.  
  
TBC..............  
  
  
  
[1] aisai means "beloved wife"

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